A story about Nazaré, the Biggest Wave in the World and the Men and Women dedicating their lifes to this Wave

In 20 episodes the Austrian Big Wave surfer Alex Wippel (www.alexwippel.com) tells his story of Nazaré/Portugal – the biggest wave in the world and the men and women who dedicate their lives to this wave.

• “8 or 80“ shows various people of different sex, age, and nationality who are shifting limits and actually breaking up standards. The men and women who dedicate their lives to the biggest wave in the world are very special types of people: they are ready to give everything! “8 or 80“ allows you to take a deep look into the lives of the Nazaré surfers and the unsung heroes in their Nazaré surroundings who help to make their surfing dreams come true and provide them with maximum safety.
• Aside from spectacular surf pictures of Nazaré, the main focus lies on the breathtaking training of the “Big Wave surfers“ (surfing and swimming, jetski driving, rescue techniques, apnoea exercises and mental training) as well as on the technology required for this kind of surfing (jetski and board constructions, radio communication etc.) and, last but not least, on the remarkable comradeship among Big Wave surfers, the necessity of total trust and harmony as the surfers depend on each other. Because even though there exists some rivalry, Big Wave surfing particularly in Nazaré is a team sport.
• Moreover, “8 or 80” shows international surf stars and athletes of other sports (e.g. bodyboarding, windsurfing, base jumping etc.), it displays local arts, and takes the audience on a journey to special places in Portugal.
• Featuring amongst others: Alemão de Maresias, Alex Wippel, Bruno “jumps from things“ Valente, Danilo Couto, Dino Carmo, Gabriel Sampaio, Herwig „Wickerl“ Brunar, João de Macedo, José Queirós, Kai Lenny, Kalani Latanzi, Kazuza Dog, Lucas Chianca „Chumbo“, Luís „Ben“ Coelho, Marcio „MFD“ Dias, Maya Gabeira, Nic von Rupp, Nuno Santos „Violino”, Rodrigo Koxa Bomb, Sebastian Steudtner, Sergio Cosme, Tó Cardoso, Tony Laureano, Ramon Laureano, Xandi Kreutzeder.
• But above all, “8 or 80“ accompanies Alex Wippel on his journey to achieve the impossible together with his team: to surf the biggest wave in the world – in Nazaré, where limits are no limits and the most hostile landscape becomes the new stadium of modern age.

„8 or 80“

is an old Portuguese saying which refers to the way of life in Nazaré – i.e., a specific mindset, the spectrum of social interaction, a certain underlying tension but never escalation, binary ways of thinking, and above all, the variations of wave heights (8-80 feet), wave speed (up to 50 mph), and age.

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